Acts II. 38.] how ought we to improve our baptism ? 463
we have by the Eedeemer : Acts v. 31, * Him hath God exalted to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel ;' he giveth the one simply, and both giveth and requireth the other ; so that, by the new covenant, remission of sins is conveyed to all true penitents.
4. More distinctly to understand the tenor of this new and second covenant, we must consider both the duties and the privileges thereof ; for in every covenant there is ratio daii et accepti — there is some- thing promised and given, and something required ; and usually the I^romise consists of somewhat which the party is willing of, and the duty or condition required of that to which he is more backward and loath to submit. So in tlie covenant of grace, in the promise God re- spects man's want, in the duty his own honour. Every man would have pardon and be saved from hell, but God will have subjection ; even corrupt nature is not against desires of happiness ; these God makes use of to gain us to holiness. All men readily catch at felicity, and would have impunity, peace, comfort, glory, but are unwilling to deny the flesh, to renounce the credit, profit, or pleasure of sin, or to grow dead to the world and worldly things. Now God promiseth what we desire, on condition that we will submit to those things that we are against : as we sweeten bitter pills to children, that they may swallow them the better ; they love the sugar though they loathe the aloes. So doth God invite us to om* duty by our interest. Therefore whosoever would enter into the gospel-state must resolve to take the blessings and benefits offered for his happiness, and the duties required for his work. Indeed, accepting of the benefits is a part of the condi- tion, because we treat with an invisible God about a happiness that lieth in another world ; but it is but part, there are other terms, and therefore we must ' draw nigh with a true heart, in full assurance of faith,' Heb. x. 22. With a true heart, resolving upon the duties of the covenant, in full assurance of faith, depending upon God's word that he will give us the blessings.
5. The privileges are two — pardon and life. These are the great bless- ings offered in the new covenant ; you have them both together, Acts xxvi. 18, ' To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God ; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and in- heritance among them that are sanctified by faith.' These two benefits are most necessary, the one to allay the fears of the guilty creature, and the other to gratify desires of happiness, which are natural to us ; the one to remedy the misery incurred by sin and the fall of man, the other to establish our true and proper felicity in the everlasting enjoy- ment of God ; the one to ease our consciences, and support us against troubles of mind, the other to comfort us against the outward troubles and afflictions which sin hath introduced into the world. In short, the one to free us from deserved punishment, the other to assure us of undeserved blessedness ; the one importeth deliverance from eternal death, and the other entrance into eternal life.
6. The duties thereof do either concern our first entrance into the Christian state, or our progress therein. Our Lord representeth it under the notions of the ' gate,' and the ' way,' Mat. vii. 14, ' Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life.' Other scriptures deliver it under the notions of making covenant, and keep-
464 HOW OUGHT WE TO IMPROVE OUR BAPTISM ? [ACTS II. 38.
ing covenant witli God : making covenant, Ps. 1, 5 ; keeping covenant, Ps. XXV. 10, Ps. ciii. 18. The covenant must not only be made, but kept.
[1.] As to entering into covenant with God, there is required true repentance and faith : Mark i. 15, ' Piepent, and believe the gospel.' Eepentance respects God as our end ; faith respects Christ as the great means or way to the Father: Acts xx. 21, 'Eepentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.' God is our end, for Christ ' died to bring us to God,' 1 Peter iii. 18 ; and Christ is our way, John xiv. 6 ; and whole of Christianity is a coming to God by Christ, Heb. vii. 25. Now, in our first entrance faith and repentance are both mixed ; and it is hard to sever them, and show what belongs to the one, and what to the other ; at least it would perplex the discourse. Both together imply that a man be turned from a life of sin to God by faith in Christ, or a renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, and devoting and dedicating himself to God.
(1.) A renouncing of the devil, the world, and the flesh ; for these are the three great enemies of God and our salvation : Eph. ii. 2, 3, ' In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, after the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works now in the chil- dren of disobedience, among whom also we had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' There all our enemies appear abreast : the devil, as the grand deceiver and principle of all wickedness ; the world, with its pleasures, honours, and profits, as the bait by which it doth deceive us, and steal away our hearts from God, and pervert and divert us, that we should not look after the one thing necessary ; the flesh is that corrupt inclination in us which entertains and closeth with these temptations, to the neglect of God and the wrong of our own souls ; this is very importunate to be pleased, and is the proper internal cause of all our mischief; for James i. 14, ' Every man is enticed and drawn away by his own lust.' These must be renounced before we can return to God ; for till we put away our idols we cannot incline our hearts to the true God, Josh. xxiv. 23. And these are the great idols by Avhich our hearts are estranged from him. When God is laid aside, self interposeth as the next heir, and that which we count self is the flesh. Many wrong their own souls, but never any man hated his own flesh. That which feeds the flesh is the world ; and the devil, by proposing the bait, irritateth and stirreth up our affections. Therefore we must be turned from Satan to God ; we must be delivered from the present evil world ; we must abstain from fleshly lusts, for God will have no copartners and competitors in our hearts,